Student Enrollment and 4-Year Graduation Rate Increases

For the first time in a decade, the School District of Philadelphia released enrollment data for the 2024-25 school year, showing an increase in district-operated Philadelphia public schools by a total of 1,841 students. Additionally, the District’s four-year graduation rate increased by 3.4 percentage points, from 74.1% in the 2022-2023 school year to 77.5% in the 2023-2024 school year.

“The significant improvement that is occurring across our school district in our schools is a testament to the hard work of our dedicated teachers, principals, and school-based support staff,” said Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed.D., Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. “Over the past two and a half  years, student attendance increased, student enrollment increased, the 4-year graduation rate increased, test scores increased in reading, math, and science in grades three through eight, and the number of student dropouts decreased by more than 1,400 students. While we know we have a lot more work to do, we are so thrilled that most areas are improving and more families are choosing the School District of Philadelphia.”

For the 2024-2025 school year, the School District of Philadelphia has a total enrollment of 117,956 students, based on the October 1 snapshot. Over the past year, student enrollment increased in neighborhood high schools, criteria based high schools, and in 10 of 15 regional learning networks as well as the Opportunity network. The enrollment increases are due to students enrolling from outside of the District and movement between District and Charter schools.

“The increased student enrollment and graduation rate reflect what is possible when the Board of Education, in partnership with the District, strategically focuses on academic achievement, ” said School District of Philadelphia Board of Education President Reginald L. Streater, Esq. “Together, we’re steering our efforts towards a future that values both academic excellence and educating the whole child.”

In addition to the increase in student enrollment, the District’s four-year graduation rate increased by 3.4 percentage points over the past year. This increase can be attributed to the laser-like focus on the Board’s Goals and Guardrails, as well as the District’s conditions for success, which provide monthly reports on the District’s student attendance, teacher attendance, and number of dropouts. In an effort to bolster support to increase the graduation rate and reduce the number of dropouts, the District implemented two key strategic actions:

• Strategic Action 3.13: “Expand 9th Grade On-Track (Success Networks) to reduce dropouts and increase four year graduation rates”
• Strategic Action 3.14: “Hire an administrator to better coordinate a District-wide dropout reduction strategy”

Using funding from the Neubauer Family Foundation and in partnership with The University of Chicago and Philadelphia Academies, the District’s 9th Grade On-Track initiative, has resulted in a 7.4 percentage point increase of students who are “on-track” at 20 participating high schools since 2018-19.

“This is yet another example of how when we invest more resources in our children, partner with our communities, and hold ourselves accountable for results, we absolutely can be the fastest improving large urban school district in the country,” said Superintendent Watlington.